CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON THE TRANSPORT SECTOR

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CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON THE TRANSPORT SECTOR

How will climate change impact on transport?

Climate change threatens to compromise transport services that are indispensable for Europe’s economy and society; climate impacts that cause changes in the organisation of society and economy - such as different tourist destinations or agricultural productions – can have an impact on transport demand.

Weather extremes generating floods or landslides leading to delays, interruptions and detouring needs.

Sea-level rise threatening harbours and other transport infrastructure and services in coastal areas.

Air transport challenged by changing wind patterns, flooding of airport infrastructure and other weather events.

How Copernicus can help

Copernicus, through its Climate Change service, provides information in support of adaptation and mitigation policies regarding climate change and its effects on various sectors, including transport. It also provides a basis for future strategies designed to both reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase security of supply, sustainability and competitiveness.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) provides a wealth of climate information covering atmosphere, land, ocean, sea-ice and carbon and timescales spanning decades to centuries. The Essential Climate Variable and derived sets of indicators, the near-real-time climate monitoring, the multi-model seasonal forecasts, or the climate projections at global or regional scales are just a few of the Copernicus services that are relevant for the Transport sector.

C3S Services are available to everyone and support the European Union’s Strategy on adaptation to climate change, for example, the Roadmap to a Single Transport Area and its targets for cutting Europe’s carbon emissions in transport by 60% by 2050 and increasing efficiency and competitiveness.

References

Adaptation of transport to climate change in Europe - Challenges and options across transport modes and stakeholders, European Environment Agency, 2014.

WHITE PAPER Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system, European Commission, 2011.